2006 Tokelauan self-determination referendum
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The Tokelau self-determination referendum of 2006, supervised by the United Nations,[1] was held from February 11 to February 15, 2006. The defeated proposal would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, akin to the Cook Islands and Niue.
After 581 of the 615 eligible voters cast a proper ballot (3 ruined ballots were also cast), the referendum fell 38 votes short of the two-thirds majority required to succeed in a change of status.[2]
The majority of Tokelauans reside in New Zealand, and were ineligible to vote in the referendum, in line with standard practice in United Nations mandated votes on self-determination. However concerns among this community may have influenced those who were eligible to vote, thereby contributing to the referendum's failure.[3]
The passage of the referendum would have removed Tokelau from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, as the Cook Islands and Niue were removed from this list when they were granted self-governance in 1965 and 1974, respectively.
Outgoing Tokelau Ulu (head of government) Pio Tuia suggested in February 2006 that since the vote failed to pass by such a small margin, the issue was likely to be revisited in a few years' time.[4] In June 2006, his successor Kolouei O'Brien announced that the Fono had agreed to hold a similar referendum again in late 2007 or early 2008;[5] in the end, it was decided to hold a second referendum on self-determination in October 2007.[6]
An unintended result of the United Nations' recent efforts to promote decolonization in Tokelau has been the re-emergence of a Tokelauan claim to Swains Island, which is legally part of American Samoa, hitherto a somewhat dormant issue.
Voting schedule
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| February 11 | Apia, Samoa (Special overseas voting) |
| February 13 | Atafu atoll |
| February 14 | Nukunonu atoll |
| February 15 | Fakaofo atoll |
Results
The proposal: "Do you agree that Tokelau become a self-governing state in Free Association with New Zealand on the basis of the Constitution and as in the draft Treaty notified to Tokelau? ".
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Against
|
232 | 39.93 |
| For | 349 | 60.07 |
| Required majority | 66.67 | |
| Valid votes | 581 | 99.49 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 3 | 0.51 |
| Total votes | 584 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 615 | 94.96 |
References
- ^ Tait, Maggie (10 February 2006). "New Zealand's last colony to vote on future". NZHerald.
- ^ "Tokelau referendum does not produce a two thirds majority in favour of a change of status". New Zealand Government. 16 February 2006. Archived from the original on 14 May 2006.
- ^ "Tokelau leaders confident of stronger backing for next referendum on self determination". Radio New Zealand International. 13 March 2007.
- ^ "Outgoing Tokelau Boss Keen For New Referendum". TMCnet. 16 February 2006.
- ^ "Tokelau plans another referendum on self-determination". Radio New Zealand International. 5 June 2006.
- ^ "Decolonization United Nations success story, but task not yet complete, Fourth Committee told as debate begins" (Press release). United Nations. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2007.
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